Abstract: An optical pickup device includes a light source configured to output laser light, an objective lens configured to converge the laser light emitted from the light source onto an optical disc, a sensor lens including a lens surface on which return light reflected by the optical disc is incident and that is also configured to generate an astigmatism in the return light, and a light-receiving element configured to receive the return light which has passed through the sensor lens 40 and to generate a focus error signal based on the received return light. The lens surface includes a first curvature radius in a first direction and a second curvature radius different from the first curvature radius in a second direction that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A panel attachment structure for a disk tray includes an attachment frame, a decoration panel, a spring body, a restricting mechanism and a positioning mechanism. The attachment frame is non-movably coupled to a front end portion of the disk tray. The disk tray is movable between an ejected position and a retracted position through a tray opening of a cabinet. The decoration panel is movably coupled to the attachment frame. The spring body includes a compression coil spring. The spring body elastically couples the decoration panel to the attachment frame and biases the decoration panel against the attachment frame. The restricting mechanism restricts displacement of the decoration panel relative to the attachment frame. The positioning mechanism selectively positions the decoration panel relative to the attachment frame in a predetermined position and releases the decoration panel from the predetermined position when the disk tray is retracted to the retracted position.

Abstract: A video data recording and playing device includes: a first recording unit adapted to record and read data on and from a first recording medium; a second recording unit adapted to record and read data on and from a second recording medium; and a control unit operatively connected to the first and second recording units and configured to selectively start and finish the recording by the first and second recording units. The first recording unit is further configured to detect a recording error that is due to a defect in the first recording medium and occurs while the first recording unit records data on the first recording medium. The control unit is configured to start recording data with the second recording unit on the second recording medium when the first recording unit detects a recording error while the first recording unit records the data on the first recording medium.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printed circuit board that does not require an additional space for dummy lands for solder reservoirs and is capable of preventing short-circuiting caused by solder buildup. The area of each non-resist portion 22 expands gradually toward the back end of a land array in the dipping direction A, thus the area of solder deposition also expands in the region of the land array, thereby excessive solder does not remain up to the back end of the land array, and resultantly the amount of solder buildup at the backside in the dipping direction A can be reduced. Further, the present invention makes it unnecessary to dispose a dummy land for the prevention of solder buildup at the backmost portion of the land array, and thus the space used for a dummy land can be utilized effectively.

Abstract: It is a drive transmission mechanism for a printer apparatus, which has a conveying roller gear connected to a conveying roller, an intermediate gear including a small-diameter intermediate gear portion for rotating the conveying roller gear, and an intermediate gear supporting shaft rotatably supporting a shaft insertion hole of the intermediate gear. In this mechanism, the conveying roller gear includes a conveying roller gear circular portion having a diameter that is substantially equal to the reference pitch circle diameter of the conveying roller gear. The intermediate gear includes a small-diameter intermediate gear circular portion having a diameter that is substantially equal to the reference pitch circle diameter of a small-diameter intermediate gear portion. Further, the intermediate supporting shaft is mounted therein in such a manner as to provide a predetermined fitting clearance between the intermediate supporting shaft and the shaft insertion hole.

Abstract: In a printer that is connected to a host personal computer via an external recording device through parallel interfaces, a signal that has been received from the host personal computer is detected by an ASIC at specified sampling cycles and to allow an interrupt in case it is detected that this signal is a signal for instructing start of communication; in case the interrupt has been made while printing actions are being executed, a CPU notifies the host personal computer of a busy condition; in case no response is given from the host personal computer, the signal for instructing start of communication is invalidated. With this arrangement, it is made possible to accurately detect whether a received signal is correct or not and malfunctions owing to incorrect signals leaking out from the external recording device to the printer can be prevented.

Abstract: At the initialization, a tilt mechanism 9 is activated in a state where an optical pick-up 3 is fixed, and set up at a position where the level of a focus error signal obtained from an output of the optical pick-up 3 is at minimum. Thereafter, a reproducing operation is started. During the reproducing operation, the tilt mechanism 9 is not activated and the focus control is made with the focus servo by moving the optical pick-up 3 up or down, while the level of focus error signal is within a certain range. Further, if the level of focus error signal is beyond the certain range because the optical disk 1 is greatly inclined, the tilt mechanism 9 is activated to cause the optical disk 1 to come closer to the optical pick-up 3 to enable the control of the focus servo.

Abstract: An automatic disk changer includes: a casing having a front wall in which an opening through which a number of disk are inserted into the casing, and a disk inserting slit are formed in such a manner that the slit is adjacent to the opening; a disk inserting swing tray which is swingably provided in the slit; and a locking mechanism which locks the swing tray in association with the mounting of a disk, which has been inserted into the casing with the aid of the swing tray, on a player body with the aid of a loading mechanism and a disk mounting mechanism.